An impressive work inspired by Andreas Kalvos’ lyrics has been decorating a wall of the 18th Athens High School in the Patissia neighbourhood for a few days. The mural of Leonidas Giannakopoulos was selected as part of the public mural project entitled: “From the Roots to the Sky”. The project is implemented by the Municipality of Athens in collaboration with UrbanAct and established artists from the field of street art.
The public murals program, which for 2021 is being implemented on the walls of four school buildings in Athens, is realized in the framework of the 200th anniversary of the Greek War of Independence. The artists draw inspiration from famous personalities who have stood out in the field of culture over the last 200 years and whose works have contributed to the future course and development of the country.
Two impressive murals already adorn the walls of public schools in Athens. The first mural, created by the Greek street artist KEZ at the 104th Primary School of Athens, is inspired by our folk painter Theophilos’ “Erotokritos and Arethousa”.
In the second mural, the artist Leonidas Giannakopoulos’ inspiration comes from the lyrics of Andreas Kalvos included in the ode “To Samos”:
‘Those who feel it heavy,
the copper hand of fear,
let them have the yoke of slavery.
Freedom needs virtue
and bravery.’
The program is implemented by Culture is Athens as part of a three-year project of the Municipality of Athens aiming to upgrade, promote and unify the cultural fabric of Athens and provide practical support to artists and workers in the cultural sector.
By the end of the year, street artists Gera and Same84 will have completed two more murals in schools in Athens.
After the completion of the school buildings murals in 2022, the program will be extended to private buildings, so their owners who wish to have them decorated need first to apply, following an invitation by the Municipality of Athens, which will check if the buildings meet the requirements to be included in the project.
“Through the public murals program, we aspire to showcase contemporary art in the urban landscape, in an organized manner and with absolute respect for public space. Each new mural that – in the first phase – is created in the schools of Athens brings colour, vitality and inspiration. The three-year project of the Municipality of Athens to upgrade the cultural fabric of Athens is in full swing through this pioneering program and aspires to be extended soon to the city’s neighbourhoods. We thank UrbanAct and the outstanding street artists who aesthetically upgrade our city with impressive works. We support their work and benefit from the high artistic value of their works”, stresses the Mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis, in a statement.
The program is supported by Vechro and Flame paint companies and LIFO as the communication sponsor.
Web: www.cityofathens.gr